De-claw the cat at six months. It's safe, cheap, and they'll never cause scratching damage again. (If it's a male, do the nuts while you're at it. Let females go through a heat or two.) If they go outdoors, they'll learn to run away instead of fighting. (Saves on vet bills too!) They can still hunt - one of mine is still a great mouser. AND they also play nicer with the dog. (My cocker is having the time of her life playing with both her de-clawed buddies.) One other bonus: for some reason my siamese (actually it's a tonkinese, but most non-cat lovers would not know the difference) was de-clawed at 11 years old and he went from being aloof and standoffish to be ing my best bud. And he's 18 years old and heading for 25!

Do it now. No cat is worth the damage that they can cause with a good set of nails.

Jeff